Brands Go Social

The iPad has become the #1 tool for marketers looking to build up a
list quickly. In the latest iPad contest features the ever funny Jerky
Boys judging crazy phone message uploaded to http://audioo.com.

Here is more:

Upload your voicemails to Audioo from now until June 30, 2010 and you
are automatically entered!
The winning voicemail will be chosen by none other than Johnny
Brennan, creator of The Jerky Boys.
Funny, perverse, random, psycho, looney, risque, off the wall
voicemails are strongly encouraged! Remember, you're "Jerkin with The
Jerky Boys!".
Contest Period: from now until June 30, 2010.
No purchase necessary. Click here http://audioo.com/pages/ipad to enter.

One of the LONGEST running marketing campaign has returned and is
updated for the digital age. Canadian Club, a popular brand of whisky
and a client I'm working with, has re-started their popular Hide a
Case contest and pumped it full of social media.

The campaign is seeking 8 adventures to go on an expedition with Kevin
Brauch , The Thirsty Traveler, and see out one of the missing cases.
Each week you play an online puzzle and earn points towards making it
to the next round. Then you will have to submit a video and have the
online community vote for who they want to go on the trip with Kevin
Brauch.

The campaign has a ton of fun stuff going on via Facebook also. A
visit to http://Facebook.com/CanadianClub and you will find engaging
conversations around the campaign, a T-shirt application where you can
invite 5 friend and get a free t-shirt
(http://apps.facebook.com/cc-offer) , and you can register for the
campaign without having to leave the comforts of Facebook.

Register now at by going here: http://bit.ly/coJpuw

Become a fan of Canadian Club on Facebook by visiting
http://Facebook.com/CanadianClub

Let me know what you think about this campaign and what things you
would like in terms of Social Media for Wine and Spirits brands.

This is a sign of the times as corporate websites are become less and
less important and apps take over. You can now manage your Starbucks
Card via your Facebook account. It's quick it's easy and it works
well.

Domin's Pizza is running a new social media campaign that encourages
trial of their new pizza's. The goal of the promotion is for Domino's
fans to invite their friends on Facebook. The more invites they get,
the more pizza orders, can the more friends who convert the order will
receive free food from Domino's. It sounds like a really cool campaign
but from the website I barely really understand what is going on. I
love the idea but I think it needs to be explained to the consumer a
bit better so that they full understand what the brand wants the
consumer to do . Check out their site at http://www.pizzaholdouts.com

Malibu Rum is one of my favorite brands using social media. They
continue to create exciting experiences and applications that keep
users coming back to their Facebook page. This time Malibu Rum has
launched a cool way for their consumers to create their own bottle
designs. You can get an all white bottle of Malibu Rim and then create
your own custom design for the bottle with the canvas. What is even
cooler is that Malibu Rum has created a call to action for the tech
community to help design tools that extend the brand into the online
space. Malibu Rum is really pushing the limits of what can be done in
the Wine and Spirits space online.

Here is more on their Tools By U:

Malibu By U is a new limited edition bottle from Malibu. The iconic
white bottle is the canvas to create your own truly one of a kind
signature edition.

Malibu is asking for Tools by U, inviting anyone who knows flash
design to donate virtual art supplies for our visiting artists at
malibu-rum.com/byu.

You can develop anything from glitter and rhinestones, to colored
pencils and metal shop work. We will add your flash tool to our Tools
by U section, and all of our visiting artists will be able to decorate
the bottle using your tools.

Submit new tools to malibu.preview@gmail.com for approval.

YouTube is currently working on an experiment that is linked to live
sports. Google used YouTube India as a test to see if there was
interest from users in watching live sports online. YouTube live
streamed The Indian Premier League and broadcasted 60 matches
internationally. They had huge results. "50 million viewers tuned in
to YouTube’s I.P.L. channel, 25 percent more than Google executives
said they expected when they signed the deal in January. Approximately
40 percent of those viewers were outside India, " NY Times.

So do you think YouTube could be the place to watch all kinds of live
sports? And why not even concerts? And why not make users pay for
access to this type of live content? Now that YouTube had the user
base there isn't to much that they CAN'T do and succeed at.

“Being able to drive foot traffic into our restaurant partners and our
retail partners is a huge opportunity, because that’s where our
product is sold,” said B. Bonin Bough, director of social and emerging
media for PepsiCo. “Ten blocks mean a lot.”

Check out this article ( http://nyti.ms/azTcTF) from the NY Times
about Pepsi's usage of FourSquare. Do you think this is the correct
road for this brand? And who brand do you think is using FourSquare
the best?

Are you a member of ideeli? This invite only shopping site has gained
over 2 million member and is expanding its business with a partnership
with the Court Yard Hounds.

Here is more on the partnership:
ideeli, Inc., the fastest growing online members-only shopping
destination, announces a partnership with Sony Music's Court Yard
Hounds. The project will focus on the inaugural national tour of the
Court Yard Hounds, founded by sisters Emily Robison and Martie Maguire
from the Dixie Chicks. ideeli members will have the opportunity to
take part in an exclusive giveaway to attend a Court Yard Hounds
concert of choice and participate in a special meet and greet session
with the two sisters. The giveaway will kick off on May 4th, the same
day the album is slated to be released. The winner will also receive a
clothing makeover styled by a Court Yard Hounds stylist. Fans can
catch exclusive fashion tips from Emily and Martie on the ideeli site,
Twitter and Facebook.

ideeli will also host a limited time Court Yard Hounds sales event on
May 11. The event will include the new CD and looks inspired by the
artists' tour wardrobe.